Bucs’ Morris on 49ers: ‘You can just tell the attitude’s different’

The last time Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris saw the 49ers, his team had just drilled San Francisco, 21-0, the Niners’ first shutout at Candlestick Park since 1977.

Eleven months after that low point, Morris is catching the 49ers on the heels of their biggest win in years, a 24-23 comeback victory at Philadelphia.

Morris was careful to not insult last year’s regime, but he credited the difference to Jim Harbaugh this morning on a conference call with the Bay Area media.

“You can just tell the attitude’s different,” Morris said. “You can see everybody has a plan, a direction, what they want to do. Not that it didn’t happen last year, but you can just see the difference, you can just see the sense of urgency. Those guys played hard for (Mike) Singletary, but they’re certainly playing hard for Harbaugh and they certainly feel a certain sense of urgency to go out and win this year.”

That attitude, Morris said, is reflected on the field in the Niners’ offense. He said Harbaugh finds creative ways to accomplish one of his primary goals – run the ball with authority. The Niners have inserted nose guard Isaac Sopoaga at fullback the past two weeks and have routinely lined up with a sixth offensive lineman as a tight end this season.

“Obviously, everybody knows it’s no secret that Harbaugh loves to run power and he finds a bunch of different ways to run power,” Morris said. “And he’s done a nice job using different people, whether it be offensive players, or defensive players, or offensive linemen, all types of people.”

* The 49ers are catching Tampa Bay at an opportune time.

The Buccaneers are making the cross-country trek to the West Coast on a short week – they beat the Colts, 24-17, on Monday night in Tampa Bay.

Morris said the Bucs would arrive on Friday, a day early, to acclimate. But they wouldn’t be packing any excuses.

“Nobody cares that you just played on Monday night,” he said. “The only job is to go out and win. We won’t make any excuses about playing on Monday night and traveling to the West Coast. It is what is. Put your best foot forward and go work.”

* More from Morris on the Harbaugh Effect: “I think their whole team is believing and that’s a credit to coach Harbaugh. He’s got these guys believing. He’s got these guys playing hard. They’re executing within their game plan. And I think these guys can do whatever they’re asked to do because they’re playing behind him and they’re playing for him.”

* Morris was asked if Tampa Bay received trade offers for backup quarterback Josh Johnson following the lockout. There was wide speculation the Niners would be interested in acquiring Johnson, who played for Harbaugh at the University of San Diego.

Morris said that wasn’t his area, “I just deal with the product that we have on the field,” he said.